As part of the measurement team on the NASA DC-8 we operate two related installations: a mist chamber/ion chromatograph (MC/IC) sampling/analysis system providing near real time results for selected species, and a bulk aerosol system that collects particulates onto filters for subsequent analysis. We use ion chromatography on aqueous extracts of the bulk aerosol samples collected on Teflon filters to quantify soluble ions (Cl^-, Br^-, NO3^-, SO4^2-, C2O4^2-, Na⁺, NH4⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺, and Mg⁺). Filters are exposed on all level flight legs. Below 3 km exposure times are 5 minutes or less, increasing at higher altitudes to a maximum sample time of 15 minutes. Aerosols participate in heterogeneous chemistry, impact radiative transfer, and can be detected from space. Our measurements help to validate and extend retrievals of aerosol distributions and properties by MODIS, MISR and CALIPSO. In addition, several of the particle-associated ions are tracers of sources of gas and aerosol pollutants (e.g., SO4^2- from industrial emissions of SO2, enhancements of C2O4^2-, K⁺, and NH4⁺ indicate encounters with biomass burning plumes, Na⁺, and Cl^- are tracers of seasalt, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ are tracers of dust). Our system has two inlets, allowing collection of paired samples simultaneously.

Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS-4A) - Droplet Measurement Technologies.  Dectection of Fluorescent Biological Aerosol Particle (FBAP) number concentrations.  Single particle analysis using dual wavelength (280nm and 370nm by xenon lamps) excitation on two parallel broadband visible-wavelength detectors (310-400nm and 420-650nm). Particles are classified by a combination of fluorescence excitation and emission characteristics, as well as their optical size measured by forward-scattering using a 635nm continuous-wave diode laser.    

JPL's WINDRAD system measures brigthness temperatures with multiple polarimetric 17, 19, and 37 GHz Ku- and Ka-band passive microwave radiometers.

Water vapor concentrations are measured using the cryogenically-cooled, chilled mirror hygrometer (Buck Research model CR-1). This instrument has a wide dynamic range (-90 to +30 C or approximately 1 to 30,000 ppmv H2O) and reasonably rapid response time (2 to 20 seconds, depending on the temporal and quantitative characteristics of the change in water vapor concentrations). The model CR-1 hygrometer utilizes a cryogenically chilled mirror and electro-optical technique to determine the dew/frost point of a gas. The primary difference between the CR-1 and other chilled mirror hygrometers is the mechanism used to cool the mirror surface. The mirror surface on which the dew/frost layer is preserved is coupled to a rod cooled by LN2 cryogen. The mirror surface is heated to the dew/frost point by means of a heater winding attached to the mirror rod. A control circuit controlled by optics monitors the reflectance from a LED off the mirror surface and maintains the condensate layer at a preset level. A thermistor embedded in the mirror measures the surface temperature and is output as a direct reading of the dew/frost point of the sample gas.

Air samples for the CR-1 hygrometer are provided by a separate window-mounted droplet-excluding inlet probe which has been used aboard the DC-8 platform in previous field missions. The in situ sampling probe consists of a stainless steel tubing inlet probe insert combined with a Rosemount type102 non-deiced temperature sensor housing. This type forward-facing probe provides inboard sampling of ambient air while maintaining efficient inertial separation of droplets and particles from the sampled air stream. The outer structural portion of the probe is manufactured by Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. and is flight-certified for use aboard both research and commercial jet aircraft. In normal subsonic flight, the inlet is self-pumping and develops enough pressure head to provide up to 15 liters/minute airflow through the approximately the 1 meter of ¼ “ stainless steel tubing which connects the inlet to the sensors. The tubing used to supply the sample air to the hygrometer is heated to approximately 50° C to avoid any chance of internal condensation in the sample line and reduce errors associated with wall effects.

The 1999 Leonid MAC campaign consisted of five consecutive nighttime flights including stops in the United States, England, Israel, and the Azores. The Space Dynamics Laboratory of Utah State University operated several instruments in the visible and infrared spectral bands. One system obtained high-resolution (4 cm-1) measurements of the night sky emission spectra in the 1 to 1.65-micrometer band. Measurements were obtained above the clouds providing exceptional viewing conditions. The OH airglow emission layer originates at an altitude of ~87 km and has a half-width of typically 8–10 km. Its behavior during the storm night of 17/18 November 1999 was of particular interest because the OH airglow emission may be affected by the Leonid meteor ablation products that can penetrate to altitudes as low as 80 to 90 km altitudes. Typical Leonid meteor end-heights are much higher above ~100 km. Variability of the OH emission was measured to investigate any changes that may result from meteor interactions with the atmosphere that could cause changes in the natural airglow emission via excitation caused by the meteor ablation products. It is also possible that organic materials in the meteors could be broken down into simpler products that include the OH hydroxyl radical.

To search for these effects, airglow data were collected by a Bomem Michelson M-150 interferometer. This interferometer operates at 4 cm-1 resolution (apodized) with a scan rate of about 1 scan every 3 seconds. The interferometer field of view is 1.5° and it is sensitive from 1 to 1.65 micrometers. An intensified Xibion camera recorded the instrument field of view during the flight, providing information on the pointing elevation and azimuth. This sensor operated almost continuously during the entire 1999 Leonid MAC campaign and collected an extensive set of night airglow spectra.

THDTV provides high definition TV imaging with long focal length optics. It consists of a professional Sony HDTV Camcorder studio with a broadcast quality low f-number zoom lens.

This instrument detects wake phenomena at highest possible spatial resolution.

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets has developed an ultra-wideband radar that operates over the frequency from 2 to 8 GHz to map near-surface internal layers in polar firn with fine vertical resolution. The radar has also been used to measure thickness of snow over sea ice. Information about snow thickness is essential to estimate sea ice thickness from ice freeboard measurements performed with satellite radar and laser altimeters. This radar has been successfully flown on NASA P-3 and DC-8 aircraft.